BSU Today

Buryat State University is one of the oldest higher educational establishments in Siberia. It was founded in 1932 as Buryat State Teacher Training Insitute named after D. Banzarov. In 1995 Buryat State University was established on the basis of the Institute and the Buryat Branch of Novosibirsk State University (a respective order by the Russian President was issued on September 30, 1995 and a decree by the government of the RF - on November 2, 1995).

Today Buryat State University is a system-building educational establishment, training specialists for all kinds of organizations operating in the fields of education, science, management, economy, healthcare, social welfare and so on.

One of BSU’s key principles is implementation of the continuous training system for academic, research and teaching staff: from secondary schools and colleges to university education, post-graduate studies and the doctorate (fellowship for the Doctor’s degree).

The university now comprises 12 faculties - of Biology and Geography, Physics and Engineering, Chemistry, Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, Social Studies and Psychology, Philology, History, Foreign Languages, Medicine, Economics and Management, Law, Oriental Studies; besides, there are 3 institutes - of Mathematics and Computer Science, National-Humanitarian Institute, and Pedagogical Institute. BSU also has 2 branches - in Bokhan of Irkutsk region, and in Aginskoye of Zabaikalsky region, and a college of post-secondary education in Ulan-Ude. Other structural units of the university are Center for career-guidance, Institute for continuous training, Center for Eurasian Cooperation, Center for Strategic Oriental Research, Center for Legal Coordination of Cooperation among Russia and Asian-Pacific states.

180 professors holding the degree "Doctor of Science", 575 professors and associate professors with the degree "Candidate of Science" (PhD) work at 78 departments (chairs) and 22 research centers and laboratories of the university. Among the staff of BSU there are 6 Corresponding Fellows of Russian State Academies, more than 30 professors with the title "Academician", "Corresponding Fellow" of public academies of Russia.

Buryat State University has accumulated the largest scientific potential in the Baikal region. Here a wide range of fundamental research studies in various fields are conducted - from philosophy to plasma physics. Many departments of the university carry out applied and innovative research. There are several scientific schools of the world scale - in the fields of condensed matter physics, botany, ornithology, history, Mongolian studies, sociology, philosophy, literature, linguistics, pedagogy.

Buryat State University actively cooperates with the leading Russian universities, the Russian Academy of Science, The Russian Academy of Education and a range of international organizations in the field of education, science, Engineering, and culture.

Throughout its history BSU has provided higher education to over 40 000 specialists, among whom there are now reputed academicians, ministers of the republican government, internationally known scientists and artists, heads of enterprises and experts employed in various industries in Russia and abroad.

Today over 10 000 students in 48 qualifications of a higher education level and in 11 vocational training fields are educated at BSU; besides, there are 39 specialist fields of the Bachelor’s Degree level, and 22 - of Master’s Degree level.

At the Pedagogical Institute of Buryat State University there has been established scientific-public organization "Association of teachers-researchers" (the university’s educational complex), the aim of which is consolidation of educationalists from Buryatia and neighboring regions and efficient theoretical guiding of the present-day teaching practice. The university’s educational complex encompasses 23 secondary education schools, gymnasia and lycees of Ulan-Ude and other parts of Buryatia.

The university delivers postgraduate education in 42 disciplines for the "Candidate of Science" degree and in 4 disciplines for the "Doctor of science" degree, medical internship in 15 specialization fields, and medical residency training - in 4 fields. 393 post-graduate fellows do research for the "Candidate of Science" degree and 16 fellows - for the "Doctor of science" degree, there are 117 internship doctors, and 54 doctors receive residency training. The university has eleven dissertation councils for 19 academic disciplines.

An important factor in the development of the university is a constant search for ways of updating and improving its facilities and infrastructure: today it includes 7 main blocks, 5 student residence halls, sport center "Trud", stadium "Spartak", sports-and-recreation camp "Olypm" on Lake Shchuchye, a camp on Lake Baikal.

Today the university concentrates on the following key activity directions:

Advancement of the university’s educational system through enhancement of student autonomy, implementation of innovative educational technologies, up-to-date teaching methods and aids

Qualimetric monitoring of the educational process

Licensing of new educational programs of tertiary and higher education

Establishment of new university complexes (university-linked secondary schools in Ulan-Ude and in the republic)

Improvement of the in-service training system for the teaching staff

Development of distance education

Development of scientific infrastructure at the university’s departments

Establishment of new and further development of the already existing research centers and laboratories implementing international, federal and regional research programs and projects in the fields of community service, physics, ecology, geology, chemistry, medicine, history, political science, philology, pedagogy, psychology and other

Deeper integration with fundamental science

More active engagement of leading Russian and foreign experts in the research and educational activities of the university

Introduction of up-to-date information technologies into the academic sphere and research management

Introduction of post-graduate courses for the "Candidate of Science" and "Doctor of science" degrees in Medicine, Engineering, Mathematics, Law